A bill that would require passive radon mitigation systems in every new home or duplex built in Iowa awaits the governor’s signature.
Sen. Scott Webster of Bettendorf, a homebuilder, says it is far less expensive to install a pipe in a home’s foundation during construction. A fan to vent radon out of the home can be installed later if the gas is found at high levels inside the house.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. Radon also has been linked to stomach and skin cancer.
According to the EPA, the entire state of Iowa is at high risk for radon inside homes and other buildings.
